Tray Mountain shelter, ~5.2 miles

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Morning:

Hey, it is Sunday!  Been on the trail for a WHOLE week and a day!  It is hard to remember what day it is.  I don’t want to take anymore breaks from the trail.  It feels weird to be off the trail for a night…rather be camping even though I loved Google’s cabin, shower, comfy bed and hanging out on the porch talking and watching the sun set!  Taking a break also makes me lose a tiny bit of motivation for hiking.  Just a tiny bit.  I am ready to put on the pack and take on Tray Mountain today!  The GA-NC line is only 4 days away!!!  I see that it is foggy again today and a 40-50% chance of rain…oh well.  It will be so cool to have the GA section done!  We are already discussing which section to hike next…NY? NJ?

At the shelter:

Beautiful day!  I think I took more pictures today than I have the whole trip.  It was sunny and there were VIEWS!  Two 1000 foot climbs…I impressed myself.  Right now it is slightly warm with a great breeze blowing across the mountain.  My poison ivy is spreading but it’s not too bad.  I keep putting lotion on it.  Google did not join us on this section as her poison ivy was unbearable.  It got all the way around her waistband, under her sports bra, and other places.  The poison ivy is growly lushly here in Georgia.

There are 2 people who set their tent up in the shelter.  Irritating, I told them someone is probably going to come along and make them move it.  YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSE TO SET UP A TENT IN A SHELTER….duh…hiker etiquette…get some!  I also question their bear safety procedures…

OMG…rain again?  I just finished dinner when in rolled the fog over the mountain and it started to pour…I mean dump buckets!  and the wind, good Lord.  At least there is no lightning!  So over the rain.  At least Fart Blossom got her hammock up before it started and I am in the shelter.  Hopefully, the wind doesn’t blow the water in the shelter!  Unfuckingbelievable.  Seriously!  I am going to believe that when I get ready to hide the bear vault it will stop!  AND IT WILL NOT RAIN TOMORROW!!!!

People are streaming into the shelter soaking wet, cold and miserable.  Some do not seem to know the danger of getting hypothermia…one guy was shaking and shivering so badly I asked him if he wanted my pack cover to wrap up in.  Soon after two marines pulled out emergency blankets and offered them up to some of the hikers.  Scary!  I spread my poncho over my sleeping bag and tucked it in all around.  It kept me warm and relatively dry!  Yay poncho!